Olson Injured In Accident
VANCOUVER ISLAND - Nick Teichert is fighting for his life in the intensive care unit of Victoria General Hospital after being critically injured in a plane crash Saturday, east of Port McNeill.
Friends are hoping his first plane ride will not be his last.
"He's in rough shape," family friend Barb Bonnell said in an interview. "He's on life support and they don't know if he's going to make it."
The 22-year-old works for Western Forest Products. He was on his way to the Merritt Mountain Music Festival with hockey player Glenn Olson, 23, and pilot Mike Xylinas, 34, when the four-seater Cessna 172 went down in rough terrain. Xylinas was killed instantly.
Olson, a National Hockey League prospect, is seriously injured with broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
On Sunday, Olson was able to give some information to investigators, said coroner Rose Stanton. After leaving Port McNeill at 10:27 a.m., the trio were sightseeing over the Nimpkish Valley when the plane went down in rough terrain.
"We have some idea of how the crash occurred and we're continuing with our investigation," said Stanton.
A post-mortem and routine toxicology studies will be conducted on Xylinas.
Transportation Safety Board investigator Bill Yearwood said the plane went down with high force and is badly damaged. "The way the aircraft went into the trees is similar to what one would find when an aircraft is out of control."
Friends have described Xylinas as an experienced, "amazing" pilot. Yearwood said he was not aware of any accidents or reportable incidents on his flight record.
*Courtesy of the Vancouver Sun
Friends are hoping his first plane ride will not be his last.
"He's in rough shape," family friend Barb Bonnell said in an interview. "He's on life support and they don't know if he's going to make it."
The 22-year-old works for Western Forest Products. He was on his way to the Merritt Mountain Music Festival with hockey player Glenn Olson, 23, and pilot Mike Xylinas, 34, when the four-seater Cessna 172 went down in rough terrain. Xylinas was killed instantly.
Olson, a National Hockey League prospect, is seriously injured with broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
On Sunday, Olson was able to give some information to investigators, said coroner Rose Stanton. After leaving Port McNeill at 10:27 a.m., the trio were sightseeing over the Nimpkish Valley when the plane went down in rough terrain.
"We have some idea of how the crash occurred and we're continuing with our investigation," said Stanton.
A post-mortem and routine toxicology studies will be conducted on Xylinas.
Transportation Safety Board investigator Bill Yearwood said the plane went down with high force and is badly damaged. "The way the aircraft went into the trees is similar to what one would find when an aircraft is out of control."
Friends have described Xylinas as an experienced, "amazing" pilot. Yearwood said he was not aware of any accidents or reportable incidents on his flight record.
*Courtesy of the Vancouver Sun
posted by WSUClubHockey at 12:32 PM
<< Home